One of the all-time horror classics that has passed into folklore and a film that was not allowed to be seen in the UK official until twenty-five years after its’ original release, although it was available through local councils and on home video in the UK pre-regulation.
Based loosely on the real-life exploits of Wisconsin mass murderer Ed Gein, THE TEXAS CHAIN SAW MASSACRE starts with a roll-up chronicling the events of August 18th, 1973, as five youths set out on an afternoon drive, initially to investigate the grave robbing of the site of two of them, Sally (Marilyn Burns) and paraplegic Franklin (Paul A. Partain).
They pick up a hitchhiker (Edwin Neal), but after he cuts himself, they get rid of him. Soon, they visit an old house belonging to Sally’s family and two of the others, Pam (Teri McMimm) and Kirk (William Vail) decide they want to go swimming in a creek nearby. Their transport has no gas, so they can’t get away, so Kirk suggests asking for some gas at a farm near the house.
When Kirk knocks on the door of the house, he hears squealing inside, which he follows through on, but trips and comes face to face with a mysterious masked man….
Although labelled as a horror film, the film actually doesn’t have too much gore on show and relies on the power of suggestion which is where the true psychological power of the piece lies. Still pretty intense, even by new century standards, THE TEXAS CHAIN SAW MASSACRE has earned its’ place in the genre’s history.